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7 selections of fresh vegetables
6 selections of
fresh fruits
7 varieties of
frozen meats
5 bags of
non-perishables
1 bag of paper
products and personal care items
Gifts from a Secret Pal
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Poverty is often a cycle that is incredibly
difficult to break out of. Many of the seniors in our Senior
Citizen Project have been struggling with difficulties like this their
entire lives, hoping to eventually be able to pull themselves out of the
mire they are stuck in. We are very happy to be a part of bringing that kind
of help to them, when they need it most!
66-year-old Hilaria is a senior who
has been poor her entire life, but she has not given up hope for a
comfortable old age. We'd like to take this opportunity to share some of her stories
with you.
Hilaria says that she has
had a very difficult life, including growing up very poor and suffering
through an abusive marriage. None of this has dulled her spirit, however.
She has a great sense of humor, and says that a good joke will always cheer
her up, no matter what mood she's in. She also loves to create, and enjoys
crafts such as sewing, painting, and scrapbooking. She says that when she was
a little girl, she would spend hours in front of the mirror playing with her
hair, and thought that might have made a fun career. Life did not allow for
too many diversions, however. Hilaria's mother suffered a stroke when she
was only 8, so Hilaria had to take over many of the household duties. She says
that through this, however, she became a very good cook, a skill she still
values to this day!
With the health problems
which Hilaria suffers from, she says that she is lucky to enjoy indoor crafts
as much as she does! It is difficult for her to go out. Saying that she's
not in very good health, she detailed her ailments for us, including bad
teeth, epilepsy, painful arthritis, and failing eyesight. Sometimes she also
has difficulty with her short-term memory, and forgets where she is or what
she's doing. All of this, coupled with her financial burdens, means that
Hilaria has a lot on her plate. She receives $770 a month from Social
Security, but between her rent and bills, as much as $650 of that can vanish
instantly. You can understand why our hearts went out to Hilaria when we
first met her!
We are glad to say,
however, that Hilaria will never have to worry about where her next meal
will come from. When Hilaria told us that HSP's help was one of the most
positive things which happens to her all year our hearts were filled with
joy!
She says she loves receiving fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen meats,
non-perishables, personal care items, and other gifts for around the house
delivered to her door each month by friendly volunteers. Hilaria has been
through a great deal in her life but we are confident that, together, we can
continue to give her a reason to believe the future will be better!
Things to Remember about Hilaria:
• Hilaria’s birthday is October 21, 1941
• She enjoys crafts such as scrapbooking and sewing
• Hilaria loves walking outside when the weather is nice
• Her favorite desserts are lemon meringue and banana cream pies
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